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Introduction

The EnergyHub system from Ferroamp can be designed and dimensioned using the design tool PV*SOL from Valentin Software. This guide will help you step by step on how to do this.

You can design a Ferroamp EnergyHub system using one of the two methods offered by PV*SOL:

• Without 3D shadow visualization: The system is designed by only filling in the electrical parameters.
• With 3D shadow visualization: The system is visually designed. Electrical design and shading calculations are performed in the 3D scene.

Currently, only a system with solar panels, PV String Optimizers (SSOs), and EnergyHub inverters for the EnergyHub system can be simulated in PV*SOL.

Start a new project

Here's how to start a new project:

Select "New Project" from the file menu.

1) Fill in the necessary information such as project name and project description.

2) Click on "System type, Climate and Grid" now.

a) Start by selecting a system type to simulate. As mentioned above, currently only a grid-connected solar PV system with or without electrical appliances can be simulated for the EnergyHub system in PV*SOL.

b) Fill in climate data such as country, location (in the selected country), and information about simulation time and grid voltage.

3) You now have the choice to either do system planning with a 3D design or not. Below, both scenarios are described separately.

A non-3D design

In this section, a system design and dimensioning are done with non-3D visualization.

1) Ensure that the checkbox "Use 3D-design" is unchecked in "Type of design".

2) Then click on PV modules in the toolbar.

Note! In the example below, we are using 40 * 365W solar panels, totaling 14.6 kW installed capacity. The modules are divided into two strings with 20 panels each. The EnergyHub system consists of 2 PV String Optimizers (SSOs), each connected to a string, and both are connected to an EnergyHub Wall 14kW inverter.

a) Start by setting the number of module areas and shadow settings.

b) Then proceed to set up data for solar panels for each module area. PV module manufacturer, PV module type, number of PV modules, installation type, tilt, and orientation.

3) Click on "Inverters" in the toolbar.

a) Check the box "Polystring Configuration" to start configuring your EnergyHub system installation.

b) Then select Ferroamp from the inverter menu and an appropriate size for the EnergyHub.

Note! For capacities over 28 kW up to 140 kW, the EnergyHub system uses a scalable EnergyHub in a rack cabinet where modules of 21 kW and 28 kW sizes are combined to the appropriate capacity. This is represented in PV*SOL as fixed sizes within a unit. If you are installing more solar panels and/or batteries than 140 kW, install two or more EnergyHub rack cabinets in parallel.

c) Check the box "Power Optimizer" and select Ferroamp as the Optimizer manufacturer. Then choose an appropriate size for the Solar String Optimizer.

Note! At the time of writing, there is only one product version of Ferroamp's Solar String Optimizer (SSO), a Single 8 kW version. Designed for use with one PV string per SSO. However, special rules apply when connecting solar panels to the SSO that have a higher current than 12.5A. For stable operation with high Impp strings above 12.5A, the limit of 720 Vmpp must be reduced by 80V per ampere above 12.5A according to: 720V - 80*(Impp - 12.5A).

Therefore, there are three versions in PV*SOL:

1. Solar String Optimizer Single 8kW (12.5A) - Max 12.5A on the selected solar panel and 720V Vmpp
   
2. Solar String Optimizer Single 8kW (13.5A) - Max 13.5A on the selected solar panel and 640V Vmpp
3. Solar String Optimizer Single 8kW (14A) - Max 14A on the selected solar panel and 600V Vmpp

d) Now add the appropriate number of PV strings with PV modules by clicking "Add Row".

e) As mentioned above, use one SSO per PV string. Do this by setting the number of "Optimizers" per string to 1 as in the example below.

f) Then specify how many solar modules are connected in series in each string (and to each SSO) in the "Modules in series" box.

In the example below, 20 modules are connected to each PV string and SSO.

g) An SSO typically has an MPPT range of 100-720V, so make sure that the Vmpp for the solar panels connected in a string falls within this range.

Note! Since the Ferroamp EnergyHub system operates differently from other inverters and uses Solar String Optimizers, the configuration check in PV*SOL does not work. Sometimes it will give you a warning message and a red cross to the left as shown above. This is completely normal and all simulations still work. However, the configuration check can still be used to, for example, see the minimum and maximum Vmpp voltage for each PV string.

4) Now click on "Results" to run the simulation and get your results.

5) Finally, click on "Presentation" to print out the results.

A 3D-design

In this section, a system design and dimensioning with 3D visualization are performed.

1) Make sure the checkbox "Use 3D-design" is checked in "Type of Design".

a) Begin by selecting a system type to simulate. As mentioned above, currently only a grid-connected solar PV system with or without electrical appliances can be simulated for the EnergyHub system in PV*SOL.

2) Click on 3D design in the toolbar.

a) Click on "Edit" in 3D design to design the system.

3) Now proceed to create the 3D model for the project and place your selected PV modules on the building. For assistance with 3D model building and project setup in PVSOL, refer to the help and manuals for PVSOL available on the Valentins software website (http://www.valentin.de/en).

Exemple 1 - One orientation for all solar panels

Note! In the example below, we use 40*365W solar panels, totaling 14.6 kW installed capacity. The modules are divided into two strings with 20 panels each. The EnergyHub system consists of 2 Solar String Optimizers (SSOs), each connected to a solar string, and both are connected to an Energyhub Wall 14kW inverter.

a) Select "Module Configuration" to initiate the configuration of the EnergyHub system.

b) Then click on "Configure all unconfigured modules".

c) Check the box "Polystring Configuration" to initiate the configuration of your EnergyHub system.

d) Choose Ferroamp from the inverter manufacturer menu and an appropriate size for the EnergyHub inverter.

e) Then check the box "Power Optimizer" and select Ferroamp as the optimizer manufacturer and an appropriate size for the SSO.

Note! For systems over 28 kW and up to 140 kW, the EnergyHub system uses a scalable EnergyHub in a rack cabinet where modules of sizes 21 kW and 28 kW are combined to the appropriate size. This is represented in PV*SOL as fixed sizes in one unit. If you are installing more solar panels and/or batteries than 140 kW, install two or more EnergyHub rack cabinets in parallel.

f) Now add the number of solar strings with solar panels by clicking on "Add Row".

e) As mentioned above, use one SSO per string. Do this by setting the number of optimizers per string to 1 as in the example below.

f) Then set the number of solar modules connected in each string (and to each SSO) in the "Modules in series" box.

In the example below, 20 modules are connected to each PV string and SSO. This gives us a total of 40 solar panels and 2 SSOs.

g) An SSO typically has an MPPT range of 100-720V, so make sure that Vmpp for the solar panels connected in a string falls within this range before proceeding.

Note! Since the Ferroamp EnergyHub system operates differently from other solar systems and uses Solar String Optimizers, the configuration check in PV*SOL does not work as intended. Sometimes it will give you a warning message and a red cross on the left as shown above. This is completely normal, and all simulations still work. The configuration check can still be used to see the minimum and maximum Vmpp voltage for each PV string.

Click OK to return to the main menu of the 3D interface. The modules now indicate the string design. In this case, we have 2 strings with 20 panels each.

When you're satisfied, return to the main menu.

4) Then click on "Results" to run the simulation and get the results.

5) Click on "Presentation" to print the results.

Exemple 2 - Two orientations for solar panels

Note! In the example below, we are using 57 * 365W solar panels, totaling 20.8kW installed capacity. The modules are divided into two orientations with 19 and 34 panels each, facing west and south. The EnergyHub system consists of 3 Solar String Optimizers (SSOs), each connected to a solar string, and all connected to an Energyhub Wall 21kW inverter.

a) Select "Module Configuration" to start configuring the EnergyHub system.

b) Then click on "Configure all unconfigured modules".

Select all areas to be connected to an EnergyHub and click "Configure module areas together".

c) Then check the box "Polystring Configuration" to start configuring your EnergyHub system.

d) Choose Ferroamp from the inverter manufacturer menu and an appropriate size for the EnergyHub inverter.

e) Then select the "Power Optimizer" box and choose Ferroamp as the optimizer manufacturer and an appropriate size for the SSO.

Note! For capacities over 28 kW up to 140 kW, the EnergyHub system uses a scalable EnergyHub in a rack cabinet where modules of sizes 21 kW and 28 kW are combined to the appropriate size. This is represented in PV*SOL as fixed sizes in one unit. If you install more solar panels and/or batteries than 140 kW, install two or more EnergyHub rack cabinets in parallel.

f) Now add the number of solar string with solar panels by clicking on "Add Row" and set which string is on which roof.

e) As mentioned above, use one SSO per string. Do this by setting the number of optimizers per string to 1 as in the example below.

f) Then set the number of solar modules connected in each string (and to each SSO) in the "Modules in series" box.

g) An SSO typically has an MPPT range of 100-720V, so ensure that Vmpp for the solar panels connected in a string lies within this range before proceeding.

Note! Because the Ferroamp EnergyHub system operates differently from other solar PV systems and uses Solar String Optimizers, the configuration check in PV*SOL does not work. Sometimes it will give you a warning message and a red cross on the left as shown above. This is completely normal, and all simulations still work. The configuration check can still be used to see the minimum and maximum Vmpp voltage for each PV string.

Click OK to return to the main menu for the 3D interface. The modules now indicate the string design.

When you are satisfied, return to the regular menu.

4) Then click on "Results" to run the simulation and get the results.

5) Click on "Presentation" afterwards to write down the results.

Error Messages

When configuring with a Ferroamp system, certain warnings may appear during configuration as follows:

These will essentially always appear because PV*SOL is not built for Ferroamp's system, but there is nothing broken or wrong, just warning messages due to configuration limits. They will also not affect the simulation results in the end.

Mismatch between strings is nothing unusual and just means that the string lengths you have chosen for different solar strings are different. Since Ferroamp has solar string optimizers connected to each string, optimizing each string individually, a mismatch does not affect the system's performance. This is also something you can adjust in the PV*SOL settings, how much mismatch you want to allow before it warns. See below.

Maximum DC input current (Inverter 1, MPP and Inverter 1) is the maximum DC input current on the DC side of the EnergyHub you have chosen. The reason for the warning is that each SSO on each solar string has the ability to output a maximum of 12.5A on the DC side. So it will calculate 12.5A * number of SSOs and warn about that input current. So it will not take into account what the SSO will actually output at the configuration stage.

Minimum inverter output not reached means that the installed amount of solar power does not reach the minimum specified power for the inverter to start. In the case of Ferroamp's EnergyHub, the minimum power to start converting is practically 0W. If you have applied as low power as 50W or 100W, it will convert this. Minimum inverter output is a setting that can be changed in Options -> Configuration limits. See below.

To remove most error messages, there is a settings menu in PV*SOL where limits for the above settings can be extended to some extent.

We constantly want to improve the content in the Knowledge Database and would appreciate it if you give feedback on our articles. Does all the information exist, is there anything that needs to be clarified or is there any information that is missing that would help installing or using the EnergyHub system in general? You can give us feedback by choosing if the article was helpful or not in the options below. 

If you need to get in contact with Ferroamp's Technical Support or if you have any questions about the system, you can do so by creating a ticket here.